Christmas leave entitlement?

Barny1979

As a manager I usually take time off the week before Christmas and then work over the Christmas and New Year period when team members would rather be off.

dawyldthing

I've worked the last 3 Christmas. Battling to try and get it off this year, but think it's a lost cause. It totally sucks, but sadly in the care industry you can't turn around to people and go 'sorry it's Xmas, you've got to fend for yourself'. Same in many other jobs sadly. Only good thing is double time really

Indie_Kid

dawyldthing wrote: »

I've worked the last 3 Christmas. Battling to try and get it off this year, but think it's a lost cause. It totally sucks, but sadly in the care industry you can't turn around to people and go 'sorry it's Xmas, you've got to fend for yourself'. Same in many other jobs sadly. Only good thing is double time really

My mum works in care and I can't remember the last time she had Christmas off.:( Apparently, because her children are all adults now, her wanting Christmas off doesn't matter. It seems that those with young children get priority and the ones whose children have all grown up, are left with what the others don't want.:mad:

Annisele

Generali wrote: »

IIRC, you can't be forced to work a public holiday regardless of your contract.

Well, technically that's true - in the sense that "forcing" somebody to work is slavery, and hence illegal - but it doesn't help the OP very much.

Bottom line is you either negotiate the time off, work the two days, or don't turn up and take the consequences (which may very well be dismissal). The first and second options are generally the better ones!

notanewuser

Indie_Kid wrote: »

My mum works in care and I can't remember the last time she had Christmas off.:( Apparently, because her children are all adults now, her wanting Christmas off doesn't matter. It seems that those with young children get priority and the ones whose children have all grown up, are left with what the others don't want.:mad:

I'm not sure I see that as a major problem.

I worked every Xmas and new year from the age of 15 to 25 (hotel) and then 6 of the next 8.

My sister works for the police and on average gets 1 Xmas off in 5.

Our parents lived in a Muslim country for several years and worked at Xmas.

As a result we never do Xmas on December 25th. When you think about what's inportant about Xmas - time together, good food etc - there's no reason to restrict that only to one date!!

Indie_Kid

notanewuser wrote: »

I'm not sure I see that as a major problem.

I worked every Xmas and new year from the age of 15 to 25 (hotel) and then 6 of the next 8.

My sister works for the police and on average gets 1 Xmas off in 5.

Our parents lived in a Muslim country for several years and worked at Xmas.

As a result we never do Xmas on December 25th. When you think about what's inportant about Xmas - time together, good food etc - there's no reason to restrict that only to one date!!

To you it may not be a problem; but to mum and us it is. I think the only time she hasn't worked Christmas is when she was a nursery nurse. She's worked for the last 13 Christmasses.

notanewuser

Indie_Kid wrote: »

To you it may not be a problem; but to mum and us it is. I think the only time she hasn't worked Christmas is when she was a nursery nurse. She's worked for the last 13 Christmasses.

Why though? What's so important about celebrating it on that particular day? Unless church services are part of your day, why make it a big deal? Especially when your children have grown up?!

dawyldthing

notanewuser wrote: »

I'm not sure I see that as a major problem.

I worked every Xmas and new year from the age of 15 to 25 (hotel) and then 6 of the next 8.

My sister works for the police and on average gets 1 Xmas off in 5.

Our parents lived in a Muslim country for several years and worked at Xmas.

As a result we never do Xmas on December 25th. When you think about what's inportant about Xmas - time together, good food etc - there's no reason to restrict that only to one date!!

If people have been there a while it should be dolled out better, but sadly what seems to happen is people don't stay on and the ones that had it off leave during the following year (has happened the past 3 years) so then it's battling again to get it off. It would be nice to get it off sometimes though as it's one of the only times pretty much everyone is off so should be done better and it isn't just for children either. I've found out we've got to decide amongst ourselves, so should be fun as I can't see anyone volunteering tbh

Hedgehog99

notanewuser wrote: »

Why though? What's so important about celebrating it on that particular day? Unless church services are part of your day, why make it a big deal? Especially when your children have grown up?!

People who use public transport to get to work would find it much harder, if not impossible. While I agree that there are professions who need to work Xmas and other "unsociable hours", for most office things, I can't believe a day makes much difference, and the morale of staff is worth so much more. It's good that the opportunity to work or volunteer is there for people who want it (in which case, choose one of those careers), but no-one in a "non-essential" job should have to.

Indie_Kid

notanewuser wrote: »

Why though? What's so important about celebrating it on that particular day? Unless church services are part of your day, why make it a big deal? Especially when your children have grown up?!

Last year, was her father's last Christmas. No-one knew when he'd pass away.

Dad's current job also means he's normally working msot of new year and Christmas.

It doesn't matter whether your children have grown up either. 2 of mum's children (including me) have learning disabilities. It would be (at least for me) difficult to constantly adjust to having Christmas a different day.